Here are the latest updates after Newcastle United was raided in connection with an HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) probe.

The club's managing director Lee Charnley was arrested on Wednesday morning and officers from HMRC searched his Gosforth home along with St James’ Park.

He has since been released without charge.

Officers searched club premises in connection with an international investigation into football clubs’ transfer dealings.

Both West Ham’s London Stadium and St James’s Park are said to have been raided by HMRC officials and financial records have been seized.

The news comes days after Newcastle United secured their return to the Premier League.

HMRC confirmed on Wednesday officers have arrested “several men working within professional football industry for suspected income tax and national insurance fraud”.

A spokesperson said: “180 HMRC officers have been deployed across the UK and France today. Investigators have searched a number of premises in the North East and South East of England and arrested the men and also seized business records, financial records, computers and mobile phones.

“The French authorities are assisting the UK investigation, have made arrests and several locations have been searched in France.

“This criminal investigation sends a clear message that, whoever you are, if you commit tax fraud you can expect to face the consequences."

Newcastle United released a statement on Wednesday evening which said: "Newcastle United can confirm that a member of its staff has this morning been assisting HMRC with their inquiries.

“We have had this conversation about what is going on, what we will do next and how we will prepare for next season and everything.”

16:53Tom Eden

Chris Waugh on Rafa's press conference

Chris Waugh has given his take on Rafa Benitez’s press conference in the wake of the tax scandal and ahead of the trip to Cardiff:

16:23Hannah Graham

Rafa's press conference round up

Benitez spoke to the media on Thursday afternoon ahead of Newcastle’s Friday-night trip to Cardiff City, and he addressed questions about the investigation, as well as his own future in a fascinating Press conference.

Chris Waugh on HMRC investigation

Here’s what our reporter Chris Waugh had to say about the raids.

15:22Hannah Graham

What impact has this had on team mood after the promotion?

Another question put to Rafa Benitez during the press conference was how the ongoing investigation had impacted on the mood of a team which was riding high on the thrill of Monday’s promotion to the Premier League.Had the sudden events affected players? He said: “A friend of mine was telling me that we were lucky that we were promoted already, so I will take the positive, the positive thing is that we have done our job and we were enjoying it for a couple of days and now we have to keep really proud of what we did and just wait and do the thing we can do, the thing we can control, and that is our football.”

15:15Hannah Graham

Benitez wants to "concentrate on football"

When asked about the raids at today’s press conference, the manager said the focus for himself and his team was purely on their sport.He said: “We just concentrate on football so what we did, the first thing that we did was to set up the training session and do things the normal way.”

15:06KEY EVENT

Watch Rafa quizzed about events

Manager Rafa Benitez was asked about the investigation at a press conference today - here was his response:

14:44

Remember when St James' was raided 10 years ago? What happened then?

Almost 10 years ago, fraud officers were seen marching into St James’ Park before seizing computers and financial records.

At the time, The Chronicle headline read: “Police Raid United” as the City of London Police looked set to expose the dark side of the beautiful game.

What else did Rafa have to say?

And what is the French connection?

This is a joint Anglo-French investigation and authorities across the Channel raided several addresses.

According to local reports, French officials have arrested four football agents, with Marseille’s transfer dealings understood to be under investigation.

France’s National Financial Office released a statement on Wednesday night, confirming reports of arrests in the country.

It read: “Ten searches were carried out all over France and four people were held in custody. Documents were also seized.

“The investigation is being conducted by HMRC. It deals with cases of aggravated tax evasion and the laundering of aggravated tax fraud committed during several transfers of football players between French clubs and clubs playing in the Premier League.

“The UK authorities suspect hidden payments to certain players, their agents or third parties, allowing them to evade income taxes and social security contributions.

“This judicial operation to combat tax fraud, carried out jointly by the French and British authorities and supervised by two PNF magistrates, took several months to prepare and mobilised 32 investigators.”

14:08Katie Collings

Is the taxman targeting the beautiful game?

The HMRC has seemingly had the football industry in its sights for some time now.

The Government body’s head of enforcement and compliance, Jennie Granger, told the Commons Public Accounts Committee in December that 43 players, 12 clubs and eight agents in the British leagues were under inquiry.

She said the team which focuses on football had brought in £158m over the past two years.

This comes as image rights payments have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, although there is no indication that the latest arrests are in connection with this matter.

HMRC has been seen to be playing hardball with the industry and in 2010 footballing stalwart Harry Redknapp was taken to court over two counts of cheating the public revenue, though he was later found not guilty of both charges.

14:04Katie Collings

What is the investigation in connection with?

At this stage it is difficult to say without speculating.

All HMRC would confirm is that the matters relate to suspected income tax and national insurance fraud.

France’s National Financial Office, which is assisting HMRC with enquiries, gave more away.

A statement said that the UK authorities suspect hidden payments to certain players, their agents or third parties, allowing them to evade income taxes and social security contributions.

13:57Katie Collings

Was Mike Ashley kept in the dark?

Newcastle United’s millionaire owner only heard about the dawn raids from the TV news, according to chief scout Graham Carr.

Mr Carr told the Mirror: “Mike wouldn’t know what was going on in the office. He’d probably know the gross figures and all that, and how much is paid to agents.

“But he would probably leave Lee Charnley to run the club which he’s done very well.

“It’s a sad day for Newcastle, a real bolt out of the blue. It’s a bit of a shocker.”

Mr Carr added he expected to be questioned but insisted he had nothing to hide.

If what Mr Carr says is true, surely retail tycoon Mr Ashley must be asking why he wasn’t told sooner about HMRC turning up at his own club.

13:52Katie Collings

Why did it take so long for the club to comment?

The news first broke early on Wednesday, with HMRC confirming details us by 9.30am.

West Ham released a statement to say it was cooperating fully with HMRC shortly after 11am.

Despite widespread media interest and repeated calls and emails to NUFC’s press office, it wasn’t until after 6pm the club responded with a 30-word statement on their website.

It read: “Newcastle United can confirm that a member of its staff has this morning been assisting HMRC with their inquiries.

“The club will be making no further comment at this time.”

13:50Katie Collings

Who was involved?

It has been confirmed that the club’s managing director, Lee Charnley, was questioned and then released without charge.

It appears the matter relates to one person at Newcastle, as the club’s statement said “a member of its staff is assisting HMRC with their inquiries”.

13:47Katie Collings

The 7 burning issues on everyone's lips

Several questions remain unanswered after Newcastle United was raided in connection with a HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) probe.

The club’s managing director, Lee Charnley, was quizzed on Wednesday morning and HMRC officials were seen leaving a property in Gosforth , St James’ Park and the Magpies’ Benton training ground.

Mr Charnley was released without charge on Wednesday night.

The activity revolved around suspected tax and national insurance fraud, with West Ham’s London Stadium also searched.

A HMRC spokesperson said on Wednesday: “180 HMRC officers have been deployed across the UK and France. Investigators have searched a number of premises in the North East and South East of England and arrested the men and also seized business records, financial records, computers and mobile phones.

“The French authorities are assisting the UK investigation, have made arrests and several locations have been searched in France.”

Here, we look at the unresolved issues surrounding the probe.

What happens now?

At this point it is unclear. No charges have been brought in the matter.

A spokesperson from HMRC said on Thursday that fraud investigations of this scale “take a very long period of time” to be completed.

If criminal charges are brought against any of the seven men who were arrested, they will face court and could then be fined or even jailed depending on the case.

As for Newcastle’s promotion, it seems incredibly unlikely this will have any impact on the club’s ascent to the premier league, though the controversy has left a bitter taste for fans who should still be celebrating.

13:20KEY EVENT

Rafa addresses investigation at press conference

Benitez said:

“I have spoken to Mike Ashley about preparing for next season. He congratulated us.

“I hope to meet him about my future next week.”

He addressed the investigation saying:

“It has happened in the past, four or five years ago. I have to concentrate on football and do my job.

“I spoke to Lee [Charnley] yesterday evening and today about pre-season. We just concentrate on football and training.

“We are trying to do things as usual. We trained as normal.

“Pre-season will start on July 3, but we still have to decide where.”

12:45Katie Collings

Benitez's press conference will begin soon

I’m sure it will be interesting...

12:25KEY EVENT

Watch: Players leave training today

Players including Aleksandar Mitrovic have been seen leaving the training ground in Benton the day after the news of the investigation broke:

12:12KEY EVENT

HMRC say they have nothing new to report

A spokesperson for HM Revenue and Customs has this afternoon said there are no updates on the case at the moment.

NUFC tax probeKEY EVENT

Everything we know so far?

Newcastle United’s managing director Lee Charnley was arrested on Wednesday morning as part of an HMRC investigation into the club’s dealings.

He has since been released without charge after officers from the HM Revenue and Customs searched St James’ Park and a home in Gosforth.

Here’s what we know so far:

HMRC have launched a probe into football clubs’ transfer dealings

Both West Ham’s London Stadium and St James’s Park are said to have been raided by HMRC officials and financial records have been seized

HMRC confirmed on Wednesday officers have arrested “several men working within professional football industry for suspected income tax and national insurance fraud”

The French authorities are also involved and have carried out searches and arrests in France

Northumbria Police have said that the force is not involved in the investigation

Newcastle United confirmed that a member of staff was “assisting HMRC with their inquiries” but said they would not be making further comment

A spokesperson for HMRC today said that investigations of this nature “take a very long period of time” and there are no updates

The investigation comes just days after Newcastle United secured their return to the Premier League

Rafa Benitez will speak to the press ahead of Friday night’s trip to Cardiff this afternoon

11:50Katie Collings

7. Do you still harbour title ambitions? And will it be difficult to refocus for Cardiff?

Brighton and Hove Albion remain firm favourites for the title, given that they are four points ahead of United with just two games left to play.

But Newcastle can move just a point behind the leaders and put pressure on them if they win tomorrow night.

So have United been able to focus on the Cardiff game? Or have preparations been affected?

11:44Katie Collings

6. Are you seeking face-to-face talks with the United owner in order to clarify your future?

As far as Benitez’s future is concerned, it has been understood for a good few months that he wants a face-to-face meeting with Ashley.

The Spaniard’s usual contact with the owner is done exclusively through Charnley, but Benitez believes promises were not kept in January and he wants trust to be established directly with Ashley.

So do you still want that meeting?

11:41Katie Collings

5. Has Mike Ashley been in contact with you since Monday?

Reports have circulated in the national media this morning that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is yet to contact Benitez and congratulate the United boss on leading the club to promotion.

So has the Sports Direct magnate been in contact with you? Or is he yet to offer his congratulations?

11:38Katie Collings

4. Will this impact upon your long-term future?

Even more pertinent for Newcastle fans is Benitez’s own future, which he was cryptic about after the Preston win by saying you “never know” in football.

So will the dramatic scenes we saw yesterday of officials raiding the club’s training ground and stadium impact upon Benitez’s decision about whether he wants to stay?

11:35Katie Collings

3. Could this impact upon off-field activities - including transfers - at the club?

Managing director Charnley and Benitez enjoy an excellent working relationship, with the former dealing with just about all the off-field issues at the club.

However, if this investigation drags on - which at this stage, though unclear, appears likely - how much will that impact upon the day-to-day running of the club?

Most notably, will it impact upon Newcastle’s potential transfer dealings?